1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the protection of motors, especially but not limited to motors for watercraft, to allow safe storage under conditions, such as cold weather conditions. More particularly, the invention provides ecologically-friendly apparatus and methods for displacing water from cooling passageways within a motor with a protective material while minimizing requirements for waste fluid disposal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The seasonal use of motorized watercraft, including boats, and water-recreational vehicles, such as Sea-Doos™, for example, has often raised the issue of maintenance during the cold weather season when these craft are typically not in use. During this season, the cold surrounding environment poses a significant risk that water within serpentine cooling channels within the boat engine (or “motor”) may freeze. The freezing of water results in expansion and stress on the cooling channels that may result in engine damage. The damage may be so severe as to require replacement of the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,266 relates to a winterizing system for personal watercraft that includes a pressurized container. The assembled system is illustrated in FIG. 1, and the tank shown is pressurized to about 30 to 50 psi. Accordingly, an appropriate pressure rated tank is necessary. The system requires a pressure regulator and a stop valve; and it is recommended that the stop valve remain closed until the engine has been turned on to avoid engine damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,136 also relates to engine winterizing systems for inboard marine engines, and has a simple system that is illustrated in FIG. 1. The system includes a reservoir for holding a protective fluid (anti-freeze), a dispenser, such as a valve, and a connector to couple to a raw water passageway of a marine engine at a specific location, downstream of the raw water intake port.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,033 relates to an anti-freeze circulating device for use in winterizing an outboard motor that of a watercraft that is not in the water. The device includes a catch basin (or “trough”) that may be located beneath the engine to facilitate catching fluid displaced from the engine. A pump takes suction from the catch basin filled with anti-freeze, and pumps the anti-freeze through a hose to a clamping device having a flexible cup at its ends. The flexible cups fit over the engine water intakes so that when the engine is started and is running, anti-freeze is pumped (under pressure from the pump) via the flexible-cup-covered water intakes, through the cooling passageways in the engine, displacing water therein, and expelling the water into the catch basin. The system clearly has both complications and disadvantages: the pump must be selected to supply enough anti-freeze so that the motor does not overheat, resulting in damage. Moreover, the pump should not supply so high a pressure as to cause damage. Further, as water is displaced from the engine to the catch basin, it dilutes the anti-freeze in the catch basin, which is used to winterize the engine. Therefore, an excess of anti-freeze must be used to avoid too much dilution, resulting in inadequate protection during cold weather conditions. The disposal of the relatively high volume of diluted anti-freeze in the catch basin may pose environmental concerns, and the apparent necessity to use an excess amount may add to disposal costs.